Amata Congratulates ASCC Upon USDA Grant

Press Release

Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata welcomed a grant of $170,963 for American Samoa Community College (ASCC) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

"Congratulations to ASCC for this federal funding, and the good work they've done on this project," said Aumua Amata. "These funds will benefit the college's food and agriculture science studies. Thank you to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and NIFA Acting Director Dr. Parag Chitnis."

The NIFA Grant is to strengthen food and agricultural science education. Funding is through NIFA's Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA). This program works to strengthen institutional educational capacities in instruction and curriculum within the food and agricultural sciences.

Locally, these funds will assist the American Samoa Community College's Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources (ACNR) instructional program. RIIA funding has enabled ASCC's ACNR program to take immediate steps and develop long-term measures. Among these advances, there are now three full-time instructors, with increases in enrollments, number of ACNR graduates, students receiving scholarships and stipends, and students participating in experiential learning programs.

This continued support from RIIA will help ensure additional successes in ACNR's efforts. The project's main objectives focuses on three Educational Need Areas: Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching; Student Experiential Learning; and Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity.

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